


Happy Means Perfect

by UnicornPopcorn14



Category: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Cartoon 2018), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Family, Gen, Love, Overthinking, dramatic for no reason
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:47:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25639009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnicornPopcorn14/pseuds/UnicornPopcorn14
Summary: Mikey keeps wondering if his family is one of the perfect ones. Obviously, he can’t figure this out on his own, and seeks help from his said family…Based on an actual experience with my own household! <3
Comments: 7
Kudos: 58





	Happy Means Perfect

**Author's Note:**

> Answer of every turtle = My family’s answer:  
> Donnie = My dad  
> Raph = My mom  
> Leo = My brother  
> And Mikey’s me :p
> 
> Of course, there are so many changes that have occurred, but these are basically what they said… Enjoy! <3

Mikey fiddled with the chair he was sitting on, which was in question slumped in the end of Donnie’s laboratory. A basic rotating stool that didn’t fit his brothers anymore. It still fitted him. So it was his special chair now. With his nails, he carefully made a white line on the leather. Then made some more. And more. A frown crossed his face.

Something was frustrating him.

It wasn’t new for Mikey to just come up with weird thoughts at random times. It wasn’t new for him to stare at something angrily while coming up with them, either. Maybe that’s why Donnie didn’t question him til now.

But Mikey wasn’t going to wait for his brother to do so. His mind was already nagging at him to do what he wanted to do. So, while still staring at the lines he had created, his mouth opened,

“Hey, Donnie…?”

“Hm?” His brother replied back, and Mikey was sure that he wasn’t paying attention to anything other than his work.

Well, this could make things easier.

“Are we a happy family?”

All Mikey heard was silence afterwards, which made him shift his gaze from the scratches to his older brother. The said turtle was looking at him carefully, as if trying to read his expression, but Mikey kept on his curious face, refusing to show any emotions.

It didn’t take long for Donnie to reply,

“Statistically speaking, yes. I do believe that we are a happy family…”

Mikey was honestly taken aback by his brother’s reply, as he’d thought that Donnie was going to be the first to answer with a ‘no’. He kept quiet as the genius turned back to work while speaking,

“Compared to families with drastic problems, we are a happy family. Some households strive to solely get food and proper meals for the day. Some do not get along and have no stable relationship or communication skills that it is unbearable. And while I agree that we do get into arguments pretty often, that does not deny the fact that we are a stable family; and that we are able to work it out in the end…”

Mikey lowered his sight towards the scratches, registering what he was hearing. His brother’s words were replaying over and over in his head, and the baby of the family uttered,

“So… does that mean we’re a perfect family?”

Donnie didn’t pause his work this time, as if he had seen this question coming,

“No family is ideal, Michael. Every family has a flaw. You see April’s family and you can criticize some of her parent’s actions. Same goes for us. April has been with us for so long and has definitely noticed some of _our_ flaws by now. The issue is, none of us is undaunted enough to openly speak about the other’s problems. No one can fix the family rather than the family itself.” The purple-lover finished with a solid side-glance to Mikey.

And Mikey glanced back, sending the message that he had understood, yet in reality, he was so out of thought. Processing the words again and again. Until he realized that he had been silent the whole time, and was about to say something, but another voice cut them both,

“Hey, guuuys? Time to go or what?” Leo called, leaning strangely from the doorway, sword in hand. Donnie simply nodded and stood up, and Mikey followed slowly after.

This might be more complicated than he’d thought…

**ROTTMNT**

It was late in the afternoon, the time to prepare lunch. Raph was the one who was supposed to prepare it today, and Mikey had decided to join since he could help with handing his brother the ingredients; knowing that his oldest brother may mess up the neat kitchen.

They had been talking about some topics and laughing for a while, then gone silent afterwards. The orange clad took a final look around, checking if any of his brothers were there. After making sure that they were alone, Mikey took the opportunity and asked,

“I… wanna ask you a question…”

“Sure, go ahead.” Raph said with a smile, slowly stirring the soup on the stove.

“Are we a happy family…?”

Raph’s expression didn’t twist. All he did was put a finger on his chin and look up, trying to find an answer for that,

“Hmmm. That really is a question. I mean, why wouldn’t we be?”

Mikey wasn’t sure how to feel about the causality and simplicity of the reply, looking down,

“Sooo you _do_ think we are a happy family…” He said quietly.

Raph finally looked at him, with a more judgmental stare than a confused one, “Ya don’t think so?”

The orange clad paused, then scoffed while crossing his arms, “ _I’m_ the one asking you here.”

Raph paused as well, before chuckling at his actions, “Alright, big man. You wanna know why I think we’re a happy family, right?”

Mikey’s lips curled upwards, breathing through his nostrils, “I said that I’m the one asking here!” He deflated slight, “But yeah…”

Raph turned back to the stove with a vague smile, “In ma point of view, a family is a unit. As long as every member in it is doing fine, then it’s a happy one.”

“But what if one member isn’t doing fine… but doesn’t wanna show it?” Mikey asked carefully.

Raph’s smile dropped, his stirring beginning to slow, “Then we try o’r best to show how much we care about every member of the family, _equally_. Because even if that person feels like they don’t need help, deep down they know they do.” He paused, turning to Mikey, “Being a family means being there for each other no matter what. Whether it’s obvious or not, everyone has his own secret problem that they don’t wanna show. No dad can prevent that. No big brother can help with that. No family can be perfect a 100%. But we always gotta try to be one.” He finished.

Mikey lowered his line of sight, meeting the floor with a thoughtful stare. Raph had just answered the second question he was about to ask.

He, too, thought that they weren’t perfect.

The box turtle leaned on the counter, staying quiet for a long while…

Before he knew it, lunch was ready…

**ROTTMNT**

The chilling breeze hit the orange-clad’s face, filling him with joy as he and his immediate older brother sat on the rooftop together, watching the scenery of New York from the top.

Leo, as usual, was resting his beloved sword on his shoulder while enjoying the view, and seemed to be drawn to it. Rare was it for Leo to be quiet, unless he was thinking deeply about something, which was, again, rare.

“Can’t believe Donnie and Raph are that lame to refuse to come with us…” Leo said absentmindedly with a smile, making Mikey turn to observe his brother. For the youngest, Leo was the hardest to read. Yeah, sure, Donnie could be tough to interpret; but Leo outmatched him with the ability to hide his emotions so damn _well_. Right now, Mikey couldn’t tell if Leo was mad, upset or simply didn’t care that the others didn’t join them.

A sudden flick on his forehead jolted Mikey, snapping him out of his thoughts,

“Ya zoned right there, Miguel…” Leo said with a playful snicker, “And, come to think of it, you’ve been doin that a _lot_ lately… what’s goin on inside that head of yours?” He poked Mikey’s head one more time.

Mikey shrugged one shoulder. Yes, Leo was the hardest to see through, but at least he was the easiest to talk to. Sometimes he doesn’t need to explain his feelings for Leo to understand. He just… gets it.

“Are we a happy family, Leo?” Mikey asked while staring at New York, his home, trying his best to control his tone and not sound gloomy.

In the corner of his eye, Mikey saw how Leo’s face fell slightly, turning pensive, while following him in watching the scenery, “I guess we are. Why?”

“Just a question.”

Silence engulfed both of them, the wind blowing their masks gently.

“You know how Donnie sometimes says that he can’t handle being close to us, or just screams in our faces for doing something wrong?” Leo stated softly, gaining Mikey’s attention, “I know that that’s his way of saying that he loves us. Just like Raph’s way of babying us, just like my way of cracking jokes for you guys in wrong times; and just like your way of turning into some doctor to try and help with our situations.”

Mikey hummed, “But how does this say that I love you?”

“Simple. Can you ever do this to anyone else?” Leo said, “Did Donnie ever show his scary side to anyone else? Would Raph ever baby anyone other than us? Would I ever crack my _super hilarious_ jokes when, say, I’m with Sunita or Hueso? No. That’s when you know that a person loves you. And that’s the best thing about family. You’ve seen the worst from them. You’ve seen the best. You don’t judge. Neither do they. And you know them so well that even in the worst case scenarios, you can’t turn your back on them.” He paused, “Most families don’t get that, Mikey.”

“So… understanding each other, and being there whenever in need, is what makes a family happy…”

“What else does a family need after so?” Leo said.

“And… does that make it a perfect one?” Mikey winced, fully turning his head to watch his brother.

Leo looked at him, before almost laughing, “Pfffff… 'perfect'? There’s no ‘perfect family’. If you by that mean a mom and a dad who never argue, and the children being always pleased with what they get, then we are _too far_ from perfect.”

Mikey felt a twinge of pain collide inside him hence the truthfulness of his brother’s statement. Bringing his knees close to his chest and hugging his legs, he muttered,

“I always think about how different we are, and wonder what you all think about this. I thought that being a happy family means a perfect one. But it looks like none of that is true.”

Leo hummed, “You asked Donnie and Raph, and they said the same thing…”

“Close enough to what you said…”

“Then what do _you_ think, Mikey?”

“Huh?”

“What do you think…” Leo eyed him, “Are we a happy family?”

Mikey planted his chin on his knees, trying to regulate the words he wanted to say, “I think… we understand, we care, and we love each other. But we’re not always happy.”

“And you asked us all to try and prove yourself wrong…”

Mikey nodded, “Thinking that made me feel like we’re not a perfect family. That we’re not a true one. And it upset me…”

Leo was silent for a minute, “But just like you said, we understand, care, and love each other. Being happy doesn’t necessarily mean that we’re a good family. Heck, being happy all the time means that there’s something wrong. It’s not even healthy.”

Mikey averted his eyes.

Leo continued, “Arguing, fighting, lashing out, screaming. That’s what teaches us how to handle one another. How to be perfect.”

The box turtle looked at his brother.

“You talking to me right now about this isn’t the happiest thing ever, but at least I got to know what’s been bothering you all these days; which can make me help you with your problem, and in the end…”

“…I’ll be happy.” Mikey finished the sentence with a small smile.

Leo returned it, punching Mikey’s shoulder weakly, “Don’t make this a habit…”

Mikey’s smile widened, “Don’t worry-”

“THERE YOU ARE!”

The youngsters jumped at the sudden screech, turning around to find Raph and Donnie stumbling on the rooftop,

“WE’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU FOR HOURS!” Raph angrily yelled.

Mikey confusingly turned to Leo, “I thought you said they didn’t wanna come…” He whispered.

Leo chuckled nervously, “I think I forgot the part of _actually_ telling them that we’re heading out… hee hee… mybad…”

“YOU IRRESPONSIBLE ARROGANT FOOLS!” Donnie started scolding.

“DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW DANGEROUS THAT WAS?!”

“I COULD NOT EVEN TRACK YOU BECAUSE _APPARENTLY_ YOU LEFT YOUR PHONES AS WELL!” Donnie said, showing them the said devices.

“WHAT IF A MUTANT ATTACKED YOU? WHAT IF A YOKAI ATTACKED YOU? WHAT IF A HUMAN ABDUCTED YOU? WHAT IF…”

The two continued to express heatedly how frustrated and disappointed they were, and Mikey smiled absentmindedly.

This was perfect.

**Author's Note:**

> I’m a very thoughtful person. Much like Mikey in this fic, and maybe even more. I just like to calculate and think too much.
> 
> Yes, I had a journal where I wrote every answer. And yes, it’s because I wanted to write about it in a fic. It was actually pretty fun talking with each member of my family on this, so I wrote their answers and plastered them here!
> 
> My brother didn’t say half of what I wrote! (Leo) XD He’s not that supportive. Literally the only thing I’ve included from his actual answer is the “Pfff… perfect…?” sentence nkwankjnakjem
> 
> Hope you enjoyed! <3
> 
> Contact me on Twitter! You can find me [@UniPopcorn1414](https://twitter.com/UniPopcorn1414)! <3


End file.
